This is a related application to commonly owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/485,848, filed Jun. 7, 1995, entitled A METHOD FOR AUTOMATICALLY DERIVING PRINT ENGINE CAPABILITIES FOR INCREMENTAL SCHEDULING FROM COMPOSITIONAL PRINT ENGINE MODELS; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/476,510, filed Jun. 7, 1995, entitled A SYSTEM FOR GENERICALLY DESCRIBING AND SCHEDULING OPERATION OF A MODULAR PRINTING MACHINE; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/485,846, filed Jun. 7, 1995, entitled A SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATICALLY CONFIGURING PRINT ENGINE SOFTWARE FROM PRINT ENGINE MODULE CAPABILITIES; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/486,646, filed Jun. 7, 1995, entitled A GENERIC METHOD FOR SCHEDULING PRINT ENGINES USING PRINT ENGINE CAPABILITIES; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/479,003, filed Jun. 7, 1995, entitled A GENERIC METHOD FOR AUTOMATICALLY GENERATING FINITE-STATE MACHINES FOR SCHEDULING FROM PRINT ENGINE CAPABILITIES; the contents of each of which are incorporated herein by reference.
This application pertains to the art of printing machines and more particularly to photo-duplication machines such as copiers.
The invention is particularly applicable to a generic description format for describing components independently of their environment or interaction with other components. The system allows for automated scheduling of printing jobs pursuant to the capabilities associated with modular components forming a printing machine, and will be described with particular reference thereto. However, it will be appreciated that the invention has broader application, such as in providing for an automated assessment of machine capabilities in view of modular components, as well as job specific utilization in an efficient manner in view of the same.
Present day machinery, such as photocopiers, is often constructed from pre-fabricated components. Such fabrication allows for mass production of each of the subassemblies of a machine while simultaneously allowing for customization to consumer's needs. Further, a consumer is provided with a means by which he or she may alter or upgrade capabilities of an existing base unit.
Earlier systems for distributed printing and distributed job scheduling may be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,287,194 and 5,363,175 commonly owned by the assignee hereof.
One concern with modular assembly of integrated units is provided with configuring and optimizing use of a completed system. While this is a concern for the manufacturer of an initial unit, it is perhaps an even greater concern to the end user. End users are often technically unsophisticated. However, they are driven by a desire for increased capability of a machine. At the same time, they would like to avoid increasing their initial investment. Consumers are also dissuaded from expenses associated with hiring a professional to upgrade or configure existing equipment.
The present invention contemplates a new and improved system for automatically ascertaining machine capability and utilizing the same which overcomes the above-referenced problems, and others, and provides a system with enhanced usability and configurability both prior to and after the machine leaves the factory.